Too often Mama Nature feels compelled to remind us how life really works.
Her sense of humor can be, let us say, not so funny. Bracing in fact.
One month you’re the cover story in Forbes magazine.
The next, you have a fatal heart attack while sharing your wisdom and experience to a Boy Scout gathering in a hotel ballroom.
Which is to say, the lesson is as ever, carpe the diem. You never know.
I’m sure I read or tried to read Homer’s The Odyssey. They used to not let you graduate most universities without being able to share the story of the leading man and the sirens.
I tried to read James Joyce’s Ulysses. Quit, I swear it to be true, after no more than 5-8 paragraphs. Life’s too short to have to work so hard.
I never met Ulysses Bridgeman.
But I saw Junior Bridgeman play in his first varsity game as a Cardinal.
At the Denny Crum Memorial Service in the Yum!, Junior said he didn’t think anybody in the assembled could remember against whom and where he played his first home game?
Never shy, even from the suite set aside for press, I shouted out, “Vanderbilt. Louisville Gardens.” Close by heads turned.
Was in the gym for all his home games in the Red & Black.
Was in the gym when he played his last. San Diego ’75 FF.
The one that mattered is the one U of L lost. UCLA in the semi. 74-75 in OT. Junior scored 12 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, dished out five assists. Then eminent sportscaster Curt Gowdy called it the best played basketball game he’d ever seen.
Junior grew up in East Chicago, Indiana. A hard scrabble, grizzly place at the time, it is said, maybe even now. Played on a powerhouse East Chicago Washington squad. They bested Elhart 70-60 for the state crown.
Junior was one of Denny Crum’s first recruits. Maybe the first. Crum had seen him play in HS, when recruiting the more highly regarded Pete Trgovich for John Wooden.*
*At a Brigsten’s dinner night before JazzFest last year, I started playing a friendly game of hoops smackdown with a fellow who grew up in Indy a hoopaholic as I. He considered me an equal when I immediately responded to his challenge, that future major leaguer Tim Stoddard also balled on that team.
Not a lot of other memories about Junior.
Seem to recall that Sports Illustrated did a piece on the rising Cardinals, which they picked #1 in their preseason b-ball issue. The reporter was inquiring about perks the players were rumored to be getting. Cars and such. At which if memory serves, Junior and Allen Murphy took the reporter to view the cheap old clunker they shared.
Think I got that right.
Junior’s post-career odyssey is legendary. A billionaire businessman, the third most successful former NBA player, behind Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.
Junior was philanthropist.
Junior was a pillar.
Junior was a Cardinal.
R.I.P.
— c d kaplan
So sad to hear of this passing. JB was a true gentleman. We shared undergrad majors at UofL and many classes together UofL A&S ’75) Despite the many road trips and other demands on his time, Jr was always prepared. His demeanor was 100% class—24/7.
I seldom saw him after we graduated but as luck would have it, about 8-10 years ago I was lucky enough to score tickets to the Masters. While there we got a tee time at (then) REYNOLDS PLANTATION. Jr was also getting ready to play golf and was paired with Wade Houston and Charlie Johnson.
I ventured over to re-introduce myself and ever gracious, Jr declared that he remembered me despite the 40+ years; the absence of color in my hair and the addition of 50 pounds. We chatted for a few minutes before it was time for my group to tee it up.
That’s the last time I saw him. I am amazed at how a man, successful in all aspects of his life could be so humble. We will all miss him—even if we only got to speak to him every generation or so.
Well said Red. This one hit me hard too. What a blow to UL and our city. I met Junior back in the 70s when the ULAs were still very involved with the Athletic Department. I saw him last summer on the driving range at the ULGC. Just the two of us were there and we chatted for about 10 minutes. He could not have been more gracious. Hard to believe he is gone.
I never met him, but you can tell a man by the people who leave these comments and others. Denny knew character and to me that told, tells me everything. In the end that is what will matter, not money, not things. Deeds not words , sounds to me Junior was an example of such things.
Rest in peace, to his family and friends be thankful you knew him more than most
I believe Junior to be the prototype human blueprint. Such a fine, fine man. Nice guys can finish first.